The One Who Said No
by Battle Fries
Summary: Every young witch or wizard gets a letter inviting them to a world of magic.  Who wouldn't want to learn how to cast spells and brew potions?  This is the story of one young wizard who turned down the letter, and of the terrible consequences that follow.
1. Chapter I: The Distant Future

_**THE ONE WHO SAID NO**_

_"But what does a Ministry of Magic _do_?"_

_"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."_

_"Why?"_

_"_Why?_ Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."_

_. . . . . . . . _. . . . . . . . _. . . . . . . . _. . . . . . . .____

Chapter I: The Distant Future

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><p>The Scottish countryside flew by in a green blur that was no less beautiful for how quickly it passed by. The hovercraft's energy canopy allowed the tour group an unobstructed view of the countryside while protecting them from the chill of the wind. Thirty men and women sat in the rows of benches while a tour guide stood up front next to the pilot.<p>

"And if you'll look out to your right, you'll see our destination coming right up," the too-friendly tour guide said in his best PR voice. Tom Davis did not grow up wanting to be a tour guide, but it paid the bills for now. "Coming up, you can see the ruins of what was once an entire town of Arcanum. Excavations over the past couple of decades tell us that this settlement was called 'Hogsmeade,' and that it was something of an anomaly in the Days of the Arcane. Most of them lived hidden in plain sight in human towns, but Hogsmeade had no human residents at all."

"Why did they choose to live here?" one of the tourists asked. He was a man dressed in a suit with a digital pad on his lap and a stylus in his hand.

"A very good question. Hogsmeade was founded due to its proximity to what we believe may well have been the most powerful Arcane fortress ever built. It was called 'Hogwarts,' and from what we can tell, it was a training center for Arcane soldiers. At the academy, they would learn how to turn people into animals, or how to paralyze someone with naught but a whispered word. Certain texts even speak of Arcane weapons that simply kill the target, and not even the strongest Arcane shield could stop it, let alone any human invention."

There was a wave of nervous whispers, and Tom was glad to have gotten their attention. _Now I just have to hold onto it and hope the pilot here doesn't crash us. _"And speaking of which, coming up on our left is all that's left of the Hogwarts Academy," he said as the hovercraft came to settle above what had once been a proud castle. There were holes in the walls, and its towers had fallen down ages ago. Moss grew over the stone, giving the whole thing a strange green tint.

Looking out front to see for himself, the tour guide couldn't help getting chills at he thought about what had once been taught at that horrible place_. _He'd heard that they called their technology 'magic,' but that word meant something wonderful to Tom. It equated to beauty and amazement. Whatever the Arcane were, they were certainly not anything he would call magical. _Demonic is more like it._

"I have a question," a woman asked from the back row, a microphone in her chair projecting her voice clearly.

There was a faint buzzing in Tom's ear, and he noticed the woman had a different shade of skin than he did. _My translation implant must be acting up again. I guess that's what I get for going with a bargain deal._ "Ask away, madam," he said politely.

"I've been reading about the Arcane, and they keep cropping up in small settlements all over the world, but never in any large numbers. It just seems strange that such a definite threat would spread its forces so thin."

"Ah, but this was before the War of Unity, you see. Centuries ago, before the War, humanity was divided into separate nation-states. That is to say that we were not a single government that held all humans equal under one set of laws. Instead of a single Human world, the land and waters of the world were divided up with arbitrary boundaries into almost two hundred areas that were governed under their own laws. You would have to get special documentation if you were even to move from one place to another, unless it was within the confines of your home nation," Tom explained to the group.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand," another woman said, and the tour guide noticed the ringing in his ear again. "What purpose would such a system serve?"

_Hm. Maybe I can vent a bit about this damned implant acting up._ "Well, let me first answer your question with a question. How many of you have functioning translator implants? All of you? Of course you do. It's optional, but why wouldn't you want to understand what your fellow humans are saying? But before we had these devices, each of us would sound totally different to each other. We spoke in our own languages that were unintelligible from each other.

"You see, before the War of Unity, we weren't divided because the system back then made sense, but because we hadn't yet taken the steps forward to where we are today. Languages, customs, traditions, religions, and even such petty things as land ownership were the cause of war between opposing human nations."

Tom expected the tour group to collectively gasp at the prospect of humans warring with each other like savages, and he was not disappointed. _It's no wonder they react that way. I know I did when I first learned of it. It's amazing how far we have come._

"I don't mean to be rude, and I certainly don't want to disrespect our misguided ancestors," the first woman put forth, breaking the tension, "but what does this have to do with the Arcane not consolidating their power?"

"Ah. I am sorry, madam, I was just getting to that," Tom said in his best PR voice. "We believe that the Arcane were also divided along these arbitrary borders, and they hid amongst human societies rather than intermingle and form their own nation. The leading theory is that consolidating their power too closely would have the unwanted consequence of revealing their existence to us. Of course, we did learn of them eventually, but they had stayed hidden for not just hundreds, but thousands of years. And artifacts and texts speak of the ability to 'apparate' from one place to another in an instant."

"Are you talking about teleporter technology?" a man with ocular implants asked from the front row. "I thought that only non-living matter could be moved that way."

"Well, you see," Tom said, "the Arcane used very different technology than ours. They had access to powerful weapons and devices that could do any number of things long before humans were capable of the same. Some of their ancient technology is still more advanced than ours, I am sad to say."

"But we are still trying to unravel these secrets, aren't we?" a young man asked. "I mean, isn't that the only reason we don't execute any Arcane that are born today?"

"Those laws are a disgrace!" a young woman shot back. "They may be Arcane, but they didn't do the things their ancestors did. And they didn't ask to be that way! I had a friend as a child who was taken away when she was found to be Arcane, and she never did anything evil to me!"

"Well, why are you here, then?" the young man shot back.

"I'm trying to learn more about them, you idiot," she said fiercely. "Why else would I be here? I want to know that my friend was taken for good reason."

"Ladies, gentlemen, please," Tom implored the tour group. "There is a seminar on Arcane Rights back at the center. There are many legitimate points of view, but let's save them for the proper forum." A bit of grumbling greeted his words, but the crowd did fall silent again eventually.

"Do we even know what makes an Arcane? Where do they come from?" the young woman asked more calmly.

"We do not," Tom said sadly. "But we do know that like your friend, many Arcane were born to human parents as well as Arcane parents. There is some debate over whether or not humans and Arcane could breed, and if they did, what their child would be. I know! I know," he said as voices began to rise. "The prospect is quite unappealing, I know. But it may have once been true, even if it isn't today."

"So, if an Arcane was born to human parents, then he or she would just be taken away? They would be raised away from their parents to grow up and become monsters?" the man in the front with the ocular implants asked.

Tom smiled. _Now comes the fun part of my day._ "The Arcane would send a message to such children when they were of a certain age. About ten or eleven, we think. This message would come on a piece of parchment – that is to say a very thin slice of animal skin – and would inform the child of his or her Arcane status and would invite them to an academy, much like this one we just passed, to hone their skills and prepare them for the world.

"But there was one such child who got a message just like so many others. There was a boy, born to two perfectly normal human parents, who got a message telling him that he was Arcane. They promised him wonders and power beyond his imagination, just as they had with so many others. But he was so very different from all those who had come before him, and it was all thanks to him that we have come as far as we have over the past few hundred years. The exposure of the Arcane, the War of Unity, our enlightenment as a species: all of it can be traced back to this one boy.

"Let me tell you his story. This is the story of the one who said 'no.'"

* * *

><p>I don't own anything from Harry Potter. The characters and settings from the books all belong to JK Rowling, without whom this story would not be possible.<p>

Comments, criticisms, suggestions, ideas, reviews, etc. are always welcome and very much appreciated.

This story will take place after the books, and will likely involve only a few, if any, characters from the novels. Given my lack of familiarity with most things British, I will probably change the setting to the United States. While we may not be traveling to the exact same places that we know from the novels, I do intend to create a Wizarding community on this side of the Atlantic that I can only hope will prove worthy of your time and interest.

Also of note: this story will likely take a critical eye of certain parts of the world that JKR created. I do not mean to disparage her work in any way, but this story will be taking a very different path. Our hero will go through very different experiences than any wizard or witch from the novels. This is meant sort of as a disclaimer to say that I don't mean any offense to anyone who may take issue with this story. It will be a darker take on certain tenets of Harry Potter lore that are often taken for granted.

With all of that being said, I do have definite plans for this story, and it is my hope that you will be able to relate to the protagonist and follow him on his journey into this strange new world. Thank you for reading, and welcome to the story of The One Who Said No.


	2. Chapter II: An Offer He Can't Refuse

Chapter II: An Offer He Can't Refuse

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><p>JULY 21, 2001<p>

The water was cool and comforting on the hot summer day, and Aaron Frost was having the time of his life. The eleven-year old boy was guarding the goal in this water polo game to end all water polo games – at least until the game was over and they started a new one. It was his best friend's birthday party, and he had chosen Aaron as his goalie.

The choice was seen by some as unfair, but no one could deny that it was Danny's birthday, so he got dibs on the best goalie ever born. And Aaron never did let the ball in the goal. He had a secret technique that no one could beat. The strange part was that no one, not even young Aaron Frost, understood how it worked.

Dennis Young was coming towards him now, and he was a pretty good shot for a ten-year old boy. He took aim and threw the ball. Aaron was guarding the left side of the goal, but Dennis had shot right of him. The smirk on the other boy's face clearly said 'gotcha!'

But Aaron still had his trick. He'd only discovered it earlier in the year, during a game of soccer in the middle of recess at school. Just as he'd done then without thinking, he did now intentionally. The ball veered off its path and changed direction to land straight in Aaron's hands.

"Save!" Danny the birthday boy shouted. "The Great Jedi Goalie does it again!"

Dennis could be seen looking a tad downtrodden, but it was all in good fun. And even when they were on opposing teams, no one could deny the simple coolness of watching someone use the Force to save a goal. _The Phantom Menace _was still fresh in all their minds, and youthful innocence couldn't even think to protest a poorly-written Gungan.

The lifeguard blew her whistle, heralding the dreaded exile from the pool for the hourly ten-minute adult swim period. There was only one logical thing to do to pass the time out of the pool, and that was to get some ice cream. It was a good day to be a kid, and Aaron Frost was planning to play until his energetic little body ran out of energy.

And play he did. Danny's birthday party was a universal success judging by the fun had by everyone and the awesome presents he received. Aaron was also pleasantly surprised to find some of his favorite candies in the goodie bags that Danny gave out to all of his friends when the festivities were over.

As Aaron's mom and dad drove him home from the swimming pool, the boy reflected on how awesome the day had been. His only regret was that middle school was coming up, and there was no recess there. But there'd be tons to learn about, and with a doctor for a mother and an engineer for a father, Aaron was a very curious boy. _Today is officially great,_ Aaron told himself. _Nothing can ruin this day._

How very wrong he was.

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><p>The pool wasn't far away from the Frost house, which rested just inside the city limits of Washington DC. Technically, the pool was in the neighboring state of Maryland, but the District of Columbia and the surrounding counties in both Maryland and Virginia all felt like home to Aaron.<p>

"Sweetie, go set the table for dinner, okay?" Diana Frost told her son.

"Okay, mom," Aaron said before setting about the task. Chores were boring, but doing them was better than listening to his parents lecture him about how he'd have to take care of himself one day. _This is just until I have kids, and then I can have them do all the chores for me._

The doorbell rang while Aaron was putting placemats on the kitchen table. "I'll get it," Samuel Frost said from the little hall at the front of the house.

Aaron was getting the napkins out when he heard heavy footsteps coming towards the kitchen. _Are we having company for dinner?_ he wondered.

"Who the hell are you?" his dad called from the hall, coming closer.

When the tall, platinum-haired woman in bright turquoise robes entered the kitchen, Aaron thought the same thing. "Yeah, who the hell are you?" he echoed out loud. The woman didn't look much older than his parents, but she did look really weird.

"Language, Aaron," his father chided him, coming into the kitchen. "Who do you think you are, just barging in like this?"

"My name," the woman said in a soft, dignified voice, "is Professor Azure Devine, and I've come to speak with you, Aaron," she said as she looked down upon the boy. She did not seem angry at his rude greeting.

"Honey! Honey, what's going on?" Diana called as she came down the stairs. "Sam, who is this?"

"She's an intruder who is going to be leaving our house this instant if she doesn't want us to call the police," Sam Frost said angrily. The tone of his voice made Aaron a bit frightened.

"You will do nothing of the sort," the woman named Devine said haughtily. She moved her hand and a stick appeared in it. The telephone on the wall was suddenly covered in ice.

"Whoa! That was so cool!" Aaron exclaimed. "How did you do that?"

"Does it matter, sweetie?" his mother asked nervously.

"Yes, it does," Devine said. "I am a witch, you see. And your son, Aaron, is a wizard."

"That's wonderful. Thank you for explaining. Now get the f-" Sam trailed off, remembering he had a young son in the room. "Get out of our home," he said at last.

"Not until I've explained things to Aaron," she said firmly, sitting down in the chair that Diana typically occupied at dinner.

"What do you want to explain?" Aaron asked. He looked to his parents. "If she just wants to talk, and then she leaves, is that okay? If she can do that, and I can do-" He blushed and fell silent. His mom and dad knew what he could do, but they weren't fond of him showing off with his little trick.

"Oh? What can you do?" Professor Devine asked Aaron.

"Uh, I can do _this!_" he said dramatically, reaching out his hand.

The stick that Devine had used to freeze the phone flew out of her hand and landed in Aaron's waiting palm. "Cool, huh?"

The strangely dressed woman suddenly looked rather afraid. "I see," she said softly, her eyes not leaving the stick in Aaron's hand. "Well, what you just did is magic. And you've come a lot further than most your age. A Muggle-born wizard with that much control-"

"Wait! Magic? Wizard?" Samuel said carefully. "Am I hearing this right? And what in the world is a Muggle?"

"A Muggle," Devine explained patiently, as if to a child, "is someone like you who has no magical talent. Your son, on the other hand, is a wizard. Few children born into magical families have any control over their magic without being educated. But for a Muggle-born wizard to use magic without a wand at will-"

"Is that what this is?" Aaron asked, holding the stick up high. "Is this a magic wand?"

"Yes it is! And please don't move it around like that," Devine said very quickly. "A wand is needed to cast all but a few special spells, and if you wave it about without thinking, you are likely to bring the house down and kill us all."

Aaron felt his face go white. "Here you go!" he said, throwing the wand back at the woman like he would a baseball. It fell to the floor well short of the chair the Professor had seated herself in. "Sorry," he said, his face flushing. "I can only get things to come to me. I can't send them back."

"That alone is still extraordinary," Azure Devine said as she stood up, retrieved her wand, and did not sit back down. "And thank you," she said coolly. "Magic is an extraordinary gift, but it must be controlled. Since your parents are Muggles, and cannot teach you how to control your magic, you will be attending the Salem Institute of Magic to refine your skills."

Aaron looked at his feet, feeling sheepish. "I'm sorry, but I have to go to Westland in the fall. It would have been cool, though. Thanks for telling me about this."

"Yes, thank you very much," Diana said hastily from the other end of the room. "Now will you please leave?"

Devine sighed. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that. The law states that all young witches and wizards must be educated in the magical arts so they don't lose control and accidentally cause damage or injury to those around them. Your son is required to attend the Institute."

"Bullshit!" Sam Frost spat, and Aaron giggled a bit at his father's swearing. "There's no such law, nor is there any mention of whatever it is you do on the books. And why haven't we ever heard of this magic stuff before?"

"Because the Ministry of Magic works very hard to keep us hidden and isolated from the Muggle world. And while Muggle laws may not mention such things, Wizarding law most assuredly does. Your son is a wizard, and is therefore subject to our laws."

"What?" Aaron was no lawyer, but he knew enough to know that he was being bossed around. "I didn't even know I was magical until just now! Why do I have to follow rules that I never even knew about?"

"Because," Professor Devine said, her platinum-blonde ponytail swishing as she turned to face him, "if you do not learn to control your magic, then you will become a danger to everyone you care about. You may think you have things under control now, but an untrained witch or wizard is what you Muggles would call a walking time bomb. Magic is often triggered by strong emotions, and if you get angry or scared in front of a large number of people, you might end up hurting someone."

The robed woman now looked to Aaron's parents. "You saw what your son did with my wand. Imagine if he got scared and suddenly did the same thing by accident, only instead of a wand he threw a person with his magic? That is what we want to prevent. Surely you see the merit in that."

Diana put a hand on her son's shoulder. "This Institute you're talking about… What do you teach up there, exactly?"

"Me, personally? I instruct students in Defensive Magic. As for the other subjects, they are-"

"Hold on a moment," Sam said firmly. "Defense against what?"

"Is that like trying to keep the other team from scoring?" Aaron asked. _Sounds like fun._

"No, Aaron," Devine said somewhat impatiently. "Defense Against the Dark Arts. There are spells out there that can do harm, and we teach you how to defend yourself if you have to."

"Don't play us for fools, Professor," Diana said coolly. "We have a Department of Defense, but everyone knows that they control the military. Your 'defense' is likely no different. I do not want my son being taught how to wage war."

"You are entitled to your opinion, Mrs. Frost," Professor Devine said, "but it does not change the truth of the matter. Other classes include Charms, Astronomy, Potions, Transfiguration, and History of Magic."

"Potions?" Aaron exclaimed. "You mean like healing elixirs and stuff?"

"Yes," the Professor said with a note of approval. "Among many other things. I wasn't aware you knew so much about potions."

"I don't," the boy said with a red face. "I just read books and watch cartoons." _If I can learn how to brew potions, then I can be a doctor just like mom!_ "Are there any other spells that can heal, or is it just potions?"

"You have an interest in healing, I see," Devine said more warmly. "That's an honorable profession indeed. There are many spells from various fields that Healers need to learn."

"He takes after his mother," Sam said proudly with a smile at his son. "But what about math and science? And you said that you teach history _of magic_, but what about non-magical history?"

"What about it?" Devine asked dismissively.

"What do you mean?" Diana protested. "It's who he is! Where he comes from! Learning about the world we live in."

"It may be the world _you _live in, Mrs. Frost, but your son is destined for a different path."

_A new world? Like another planet?_ "But, what about my friends? Are you saying I won't be able to see them again?"

"You will come home for the summers, at least until you graduate after seven years at the Institute. And then you'll take your rightful place as a productive member of Wizarding society," Devine assured him.

Aaron was not appeased. "But my friends aren't magical at all. And my family isn't, either. I don't want to be in a different world from them!"

"You will make new friends, and you will be able to start your own family." Professor Devine shook her pale head. "Really, this is an opportunity to become so much more than you are. Most people are overjoyed to learn that they're a wizard. Why do you hesitate, Aaron?"

It had taken a while, but Aaron was starting to realize that this woman was a bully. She was trying to make him do what she wanted. _Well, I'm not gonna let you tell me what to do!_ "If I have to say goodbye to my life, then I don't want to be a wizard!"

"You _are_ a wizard, Aaron Frost, whether you like it or not," Devine said icily. "I will return tomorrow to take you shopping for your school things. You won't be able to find them on your own, nor will your parents."

"Wait just a minute here!" Aaron's father demanded. "You can't just-"

"Yes, I can. And I already have," the blonde said in a tone that brooked no argument. "Westland Middle School has already had its records altered to account for your son's absence. As far as anyone there knows, Aaron is attending a private school whose name you have not disclosed. The appropriate memories have been altered as well, and will be again if you decide to proliferate the knowledge I have shared with you today."

"You can erase memories?" Aaron said, a chill running down his spine. "Why would you do that?"

"Our world, Aaron Frost, is a small one compared to your parents' world, and we value our privacy," the Professor said proudly. "We will take the necessary measures to ensure that no one you know, apart from your parents, discovers the truth about what you are. The spell leaves no lasting damage, I assure you. It is a precise procedure that has been perfected over thousands of years. You needn't worry."

"Sure," Aaron's mom said sarcastically. "Who's worried?"

"And what if we say no?" Aaron's father challenged. "Will you change our memories as well?"

"I would hope it won't come to that, but if necessary, yes," Devine said without apology.

Aaron had a sinking feeling that he couldn't help but relate to one of his favorite TV shows. "Resistance is futile, isn't it, Professor?" he asked the blonde, who was heading towards the front door.

"For now, Aaron, it most certainly is," she confirmed. "But once you stop resisting, you will learn just how remarkable you truly are. You're being given the opportunity of a lifetime. Don't squander it." With that, she exited the house and closed the door behind her.

The three Frosts were silent for a full minute following Professor Devine's departure. "Well," Diana finally said, "in the event that these people are as powerful as they say, and if you do end up going to Salem, Aaron-"

"Mom!" her son protested.

"Let me finish, honey. If you have to go, then I need to call your Uncle Bob and see if I can get you some textbooks. _Real_ textbooks, Aaron. You may be working hard up there on whatever it is they think they're going to teach you, but you're going to learn all the proper subjects as well, honey. It'll be hard without a teacher, but you are gifted, Aaron. You have a wonderful mind, and you're a hard worker."

"Yes, you are," Samuel said proudly. "And even if this magic makes things easier for you, don't forget the pride of doing something with your own two hands. You remember when we put your bike together? Or what about all of those LEGO sets in the basement? It wouldn't be nearly as fun if you just waved a wand and had the magic do it for you, would it?"

Aaron still wasn't convinced. "But what about my friends? Danny's going to be really upset if I go away right after his birthday. I saved so many goals for him."

"People do grow apart, honey," his mother said. "Even good friends go in different directions at some point in life. You may just be going down your own path a bit earlier than we thought."

"And never forget," his father put in, "that it is _your_ path. You choose what you do and why you do it. If you learn some valuable things at this school of theirs, if you learn how to make those potions and spells, then you use that knowledge and become the best doctor in the world. Do you hear me, son?"

Aaron smiled. _When you put it like that, it sounds kinda cool._ "All right. Sounds like it could be okay."

"Then finish setting the table," his mother said. "Sam, you get my hairdryer so we can defrost the phone."

Aaron Frost sighed. _So wizards have to do chores, too? No fair!_

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><p>I don't own the Harry Potter universe. I'm just here to tell a new story.<p>

Comments, criticisms, suggestions, reviews: all of these are welcome and very much appreciated.

Many Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy the story! ^_^


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